The points of issue
London: Macmillan, 1961. Publisher's green cloth with gilt spine titles; dust jacket illustrated by Victor Reinganum, priced 13s 6d (13/6), unclipped. Copyright page states 'First published 1961'.
Is this the true first?
The UK Macmillan edition (1961) is the true first, preceding the US Lippincott edition (1962). The novel also appeared, slightly abridged, as essentially the entire 14 October 1961 issue of The New Yorker, but that magazine appearance is not a book edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Macmillan impressions add a printing statement; the US edition is a separate setting. No significant book-club issue precedes the UK first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: London: Macmillan, 1961. Publisher's green cloth with gilt spine titles; dust jacket illustrated by Victor Reinganum, priced 13s 6d (13/6), unclipped. Copyright page states 'First published 1961'.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The UK Macmillan edition (1961) is the true first, preceding the US Lippincott edition (1962). The novel also appeared, slightly abridged, as essentially the entire 14 October 1961 issue of The New Yorker, but that magazine appearance is not a book edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Macmillan impressions add a printing statement; the US edition is a separate setting. No significant book-club issue precedes the UK first.
I have a first edition of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.